For our review of the last episode of The Orville, click here.
Synopsis: Ed and the crew discover a planet about to be destroyed by its sun; Bortus struggles with a controversial addiction that throws his marriage to Klyden into crisis. (TV Guide)
Writer: Cherry Chevapravatdumrong
Director: Jon Cassar
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 44mins
Airs: Thursdays at 9pm on CityTV (Canada)/Fox (United States)
The Orville continues its streak of episodes that focus on more emotionally fulfilling story lines by making Alara the central focus of “Home” as she travels back to her family in order to seek a cure for her rapidly deteriorating strength aboard The Orville. While on her home planet, Alara reignites old disputes with her father and mother about her career path, love life and childhood setbacks compared to others of her species – basically an issue that anyone that has ever left home and comes back to visit understands and endures.
In an effort to clear the tension that has been mounting between the family, Alara’s parents decide to have all of them to spend some time at a secluded beach house where they encounter another couple that ends up being far more than they first appear. Their true motive is revealed during the course of a meal together where they explain, while holding Alara and her family at gunpoint, that they are the parents of a student under Ildis Kitan (Robert Picardo), Alara’s father, who’s work was publicly disputed by him leading to his suicide. Their effort for revenge springs Alara into action as she rescues her family from the couple thus showing that her choice of career was not in vain.
Meanwhile, the crew members of The Orville figure out a solution to Alara’s deteriorating strength that would allow her to remain at her post as security officer aboard the ship and rush to retrieve her only to arrive just as she is saving her family. While humbled by the crew’s undying effort to help her return, she declines the treatment instead wanting to spend more time with her family in an effort to repair her relationship with them. This leaves the crew to be forced to endure their new security officer, Tharl (Patrick Warburton), who incessant eating habits seem an early indication of the annoyances he will bring with the crew but also look to offer some solid comedic moments in the future.
Stoking the fire of rumors dating back months ago that Halston Sage is leaving The Orville, “Home” does little to dissuade this from becoming a reality. However, she is still listed on the cast for the remainder of the season and there seems to be a possibility that she might return later on as the door was left open for her to come back. For now, we are left with Tharl and his dual esophaguses as The Orville’s Chief Security Officer. Either way, The Orville’s crew is changed for the foreseeable future and while Alara was the central comedic force it does remain to be seen how her absence affects the crew and cast dynamic moving forward. While there might be more to this story than is currently known, this hopefully won’t be a negative for the sake for the show.
Score: 7/10
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